


Coward against his will

by Miss-Indigodaisies (Sweetss80)



Category: Das Boot (TV 2018)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Loyalty, Regret, The other crew of the U-612, cowardice, translation of a Dutch fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:48:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22292827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweetss80/pseuds/Miss-Indigodaisies
Summary: Robert Ehrenberg regrets he didn't help Klaus Hoffmann when the mutiny started.(This fic is a translation)
Kudos: 9





	Coward against his will

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Lafaard tegen wil en dank](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777937) by [Miss-Indigodaisies (Sweetss80)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweetss80/pseuds/Miss-Indigodaisies). 



It was evening and engineer Oberleutnant Robert Ehrenberg collected all his personal belongings into a bag in the cabin. He was in the narrow officers' mess where they always sat to eat their meals or to do other things when time allowed. There were some stuff left on the table that still needed to be checked. 

There was a lot of buzz. The crew and officers packed everything in their backpacks and prepared for departure. They said goodbye to each other. “Are you going to see your wife and children?” asked second watch officer Schiller to Strelitz, who answered in the affirmative. "A good idea," said Schiller, walking past the cabin where Robert was still sorting his personal things.

"Take care of yourself, lieutenant," said Schiller as a goodbye. Strelitz followed. Both shook Robert's hand. He nodded and concentrated on the things in front of him. Robert didn’t need further conversation. Too much had happened for that. 

Slowly it became empty in the submarine and Robert was alone with his thoughts.

_ Klaus, Klaus ... what have they done to you? What have I done? And why didn't I do anything? I couldn’t do anything despite my protests. Tennstedt took hold of me. Thanks to him, I was able to stay in service. "Give a little, take a little,” Tennstedt snapped. “Who said a good word for you when you were so drunk? I expect loyalty to me for that. ” _

He was holding a book with a black cover in his hands. Written by Klaus' father, Wilhelm Hoffmann, also a u boat commander. He knew that Hoffmann Senior was still alive. Klaus had told him that in a confidential moment. Klaus regularly withdrew into his cabin and Robert sometimes saw that he was browsing his father's book at such time, as if he needed support.

He felt compassion with the young captain. Maybe Klaus was too young and inexperienced to have his own ship, but he did his best for everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone saw it this way. And why? Because mean gossip always haunted him?

When Robert and Klaus were on guard together, he said that he had been involved in the construction and development of this submarine. Klaus was immediately interested. Robert knew every screw and every part. "We need such a man," Klaus said, smiling slightly.

Klaus was visibly shocked by the answer to his question whether Robert still had children. Robert saw genuine pity from the captain when he told him that his wife and child had died in a fire. "I'm sorry," Klaus said, staring at the sea again. 

“Give the crew time to get used to the situation. It'll be okay," Robert encouraged the young captain. Klaus took the short conversation visibly well and from that moment on, a bond of trust developed between them.

Robert flipped through the book and his eye caught a small photo in the middle of the book. He swallowed when he saw the photo. Father and son were in the picture together. Klaus' father held a protective arm around his son's waist. It was a sweet, intimate photo.

His eyes became watery at the sight of the photo. How would Hoffmann Senior respond to the death of his son? Robert was almost certain that Klaus and Max wouldn’t survive on such a small lifeboat. The provisions were perhaps just enough for a few days.  _ Wrangel, you bastard! And I .... I am a coward ... I should have done something ... But what? _

Robert closed the book and put it in with his own personal belongings. He would later decide what he would do with the book.

He stared at a pocket knife on the small table. Robert picked it up and looked at it. A memory flashed through his mind: Klaus peeling an apple that the cook handed out. He himself sat next to him and updated the logbook. It was after dinner, he remembered. A peaceful moment as the relationships between the captain and the rest of the officers began to deteriorate. It was hard for Robert to imagine that Klaus didn’t notice this. Although in the end, Tennstedt gave his life to save the crew, Robert felt anger coming up. It was largely through Tennstedt that the relationships escalated. And Wrangel skillfully finished it.

Robert had never liked Wrangel from the beginning and that reluctance was mutual. And Tennstedt saw his chance of course. Robert never expected Tennstedt to participate in mutiny. Surely the first watch officer should have known better with all his war experience?

_ The mutiny _ ... It visibly hurt Robert how they demolished Klaus into a small failed man, almost a schoolboy. Klaus already looked miserable because of his pneumonia and now he was also deposed as captain! How must Klaus have felt when he realized that he was finally losing the last bit of authority? Robert couldn't stand it anymore. "Klaus, please .... Go back to your bed and get well again," Robert begged him to save him from further decline. And luckily Klaus was willing to listen to him, but the pain and defeat in his eyes struck Robert deeply. 

When he saw Klaus and Max step into the lifeboat and watched them drift away slowly from the submarine, Robert felt very disturbed. His heart was beating in his throat and the dull feeling of defeat had never left since that day.

Robert got up abruptly, stepped into the exchange and looked around. Klaus had walked around here, giving orders and executing orders.  _ The mutiny had taken place here _ . 

He walked slowly toward the engine room. There was a deadly silence. Only the sound of his own footsteps could be heard.

_ Klaus, I'm so sorry. I broke our relationship of trust. You expected me to go on the lifeboat, that I would take it for you. But I didn't dare, I was afraid of the consequences. I saw your gaze, you were so disappointed and bewildered. And I, Robert the coward, have abandoned you. Max -damned- had even more courage than me! _

Robert was struck by a sense of cowardice. His legs went limp. He lowered himself slowly to the floor and his eyes became blurred. He suddenly craved liquor.

He had helped to kill someone. He had done nothing to prevent the mutiny.

How could he ever forgive himself?

The evening turned into the night without Robert realizing it. 


End file.
